Dynamics of Structural Transformations between Lamellar and Inverse Bicontinuous Cubic Lyotropic Phases

Journal Article · Fri Mar 17 00:00:00 EST 2006 · Physical Review Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVLETT.96.1· OSTI ID:20778811

Conn, Charlotte E; Ces, Oscar; Mulet, Xavier; Seddon, John M; Templer, Richard H ^[1]; Finet, Stephanie ^[2]; Winter, Roland ^[3]

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1. Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, London, SW7 2AZ (United Kingdom)
2. European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Boite Postale 220, F-38043 Grenoble Cedex (France)
3. Department of Chemistry, Physical Chemistry I, University of Dortmund, Otto-Hahn-Strasse 6, D-44227 Dortmund (Germany)

The liquid crystalline lamellar (L{sub {alpha}}) to double-diamond inverse bicontinuous cubic (Q{sub II}{sup D}) phase transition for the amphiphile monoelaidin in excess water exhibits a remarkable sequence of structural transformations for pressure or temperature jumps. Our data imply that the transition dynamics depends on a coupling between changes in molecular shape and the geometrical and topological constraints of domain size. We propose a qualitative model for this coupling based on theories of membrane fusion via stalks and existing knowledge of the structure and energetics of bicontinuous cubic phases.

• OSTI ID: 20778811
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Vol. 96, Issue 10; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.96.108102; (c) 2006 The American Physical Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0031-9007
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
DIAMONDS
LIQUID CRYSTALS
MEMBRANES
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
WATER